Lazy Daze Owners' Group

Zamp Obsidian portable solar system

November 22, 2020, 05:38:00 pm

This may be of interest to those who are looking at portable solar panel options:

OBSIDIAN™ SERIES Portable Kits — Zamp Solar

Re: Zamp Obsidian portable solar system

Reply #2 – November 23, 2020, 04:32:47 pm

I bought a 45 W rigid Obsidian panel a few months ago to mount atop a Yakima rooftop storage box. The panel appears well made; it's slim and streamlined, about half the thickness of a typical panel. But it cost $349.99. That's $7.78 per watt, compared to about a buck a watt for most solar panels. I very reluctantly bought it because it was the only panel that would fit in that particular situation.

Portable "suitcase" panels of the sort shown in that feel-good Renogy video are typically about twice as expensive per watt as rigid panels, and are reportedly much less long-lived. In short, when Renogy does get around to announcing specs and prices, be prepared for sticker shock. ;-) If you'll forgive a 70-year-old's cynicism, I think they are pitching these to yuppies with more money than they know what to do with.